Atomizing nozzle



March 6, 1956 J. E. MARCUSE ATOMIZING NOZZLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2, 1951 w 8 WM. m mE A March 6, 1956 J. E. MARCUSE 2,737,419

ATOMIZING NOZZLE Filed Feb. 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR \fizmesll. Marcuse ATTORNEYS United States Patent ATOMIZING NOZZLE James E. Marcuse, New York, N. Y., assignor to West Disinfecting Company, a corporation of New York Application February 2, 1951, Serial No. 209,133

Claims. (Cl. 299-1401) attempted to increase the output by resort to a correspondingly larger liquid outlet, the atomization becomes ineffective, the liquid in the core of the larger entrained stream remaining substantially unaffected, so that the output is not finely divided and there is inefficient dispersion of relatively large drops with incidental soiling and staining of articles in the room or chamber being sprayed. Like difliculty occurs where the nozzle is provided with a multiplicity of fine liquidoutlets, in the attempt to increase the volumetric discharge, the single stream of air being ineffective, under usual conditions of operation thoroughly to atomize the output from at least some of such outlets. Where the liquid is to be sprayed at relatively high rate and yet thoroughly atomized, the use of'a multiplicity of nozzles, each with a fine liquid opening involves multiplication of cost and complications.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a spray nozzle of simple and rugged construction which is effective finely to atomize liquid at a'rate many times that attained by otherwise satisfactory nozzles of the character above referred to even though air pressure is used that is no higher than customary in equipment:

channel for the liquid of substantial circumference but of relatively minute distance between its outer and inner: peripheries. Accordingly, the air stream passing outward along either to be encompassed by, but preferably to 'en-. compass said channel, effects atomization of the relatively large output thus attained. Where the air stream is passed longitudinally through or inside of the annular liquid channel, atomization may be effected within the scope of the present invention, but it is obviously not as thorough as were the air stream directcd' to envelop such channel since in the latter case a' greater area of liquid is more immediately exposed to the encompassing air stream. However, with such encompass ing air stream, sub-atmospheric pressure exists at the in'-. terior of the output from the annular liquid channel, and that partial vacuum effects some collapse of the hollow .jet toward its axis with resultant coalescence of atomizedi liquid and a wet, incompletely atomized output. The difiiculty'is obviated according .to one feature of.

the invention by passing the air current longitudinally of the annular channel, not only to encompass the annular stream of liquid, but to be encompassed as well by that stream, so that maximum atomization results by the engagement of the air stream with the entire area, that is with the outer as well as the inner surface of the annular jet emerging from the nozzle. Accordingly, thorough atomization occurs even though the effective area of the annular liquid outlet is relatively large.

While in one embodiment, both air streams, that is, both the liquid encompassing and the liquid encompassed air stream may be simultaneously produced from a common source of air pressure, in another embodiment one of these air streams, preferably the inner or encompassed stream, is itself produced by the ejector action of the outer or encompassing air stream, the nozzle in that'embodiment, providing an air outlet through the interior of the annular liquid channel, which air outlet communicates at both ends with the ambient atmosphere.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal view with parts broken away and partly in cross section of one embodiment of the nozzle mounted on a container,

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle on a larger scale,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle diagrammatically illustrating the jet of air and liquid as it emerges therefrom,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of another embodiment of the nozzle, and

Fig.- 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of another more simplified embodiment of the nozzle.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the nozzle desirably comprises a casing which includes a-substantially cylindrical body portion 10 having an axial bore 11 longitudinally therethrough, preferably of enlarged diameter as at 12 at the air inlet end 13 thereof. The body portion 10 is desirably of reduced outer diameterat the end thereof opposed to inlet end 13 and has an end wall 14 with an axial tubular extensionlS extending longitudinally therefrom, said extension desirably having a relatively thin wall. The body portion 10 also desirably has a plurality of longitudinal passageways or bores 16 radially displaced from axial bore 11 and extendingthrough the end wall 14, each of said bores 16 being in This result is accomplished by:- i' the simple expedient of providing an annular discharge wetting of the nozzle. frusto-conical wall 25 between bore 21 and the substancommunication at its inlet end 18 with the enlarged portion 12 of axial bore 11. 1

Removably afiixed on the upper end of said body portion is a hollow cap 20 which has a reduced bore 21 through end wall 22 thereof concentric with extension 15, the mouth 23 of said bore 21 being desirably beveled as at 24 to eliminate burrs along the edge thereof which might cause formation of drops of liquid and The cap desirably has a flaring tially cylindrical inner wall 27 thereof at the mounted end of the cap which is threaded as at 28 so that it may be screwed on the correspondingly externally. threaded portion 29 .of the body portion 10. Desirably. the body portion 10 has an external annular shoulder. 30 at the extremity of threaded portion 29 against whichv the rim 31 of the cap may seat, properly to position the cap on said body portion. The length of the wall of the bore 21 in the cap 20 is desirably so related to of bore 21. The diameter of bore 21 and the outer 7 diameter of tubular extension 15 are such as to define a narrow annular air passageway 35 therebetween having a mouth 36', said passageway being in communica-' tion with an air chamber 37 formed by the inner wall of said cap 20, the end wall 14 of the body portion 11.1v and the outer surface of the wall of said tubular exten-.

sion 15.

Positioned in bore 11 is a substantially cylindrical stem 39 desirably having its root end 41 of reduced diameter and defining a shoulder 42. Desirably, said root end 41 is threaded so that it may be screwed into the correspondingly threaded portion 43 of bore 11 adjacent enlarged portion 13, said threaded portion 43 being desirably of reduced diameter and defining an annular shoulder 44 against which the shoulder 42 of the stem 39 may seat. The stem 39 desirably has an outer diameter sufficiently less than that of bore 11 to define an annular liquid passageway 46 therebetween, the latter extending from shoulder 44 to the rim 32 of tubular extension 15, so that the mouth 47 of liquid passageway 46 lies in substantially the same plane as the mouth 36 of air passageway 35. In order to provide an inlet for fluid into liquid passageway 46, a lateral bore 49 extends through the wall of the body portion into said passageway 46 and is of enlarged diameter at its outer end as at 50 to receive a suitable connector fitting.

. Stem 39 desirably has an axial bore 52 therethrough having its inner end 53 in communication with the enlarged portion 12 of bore 11 in the body portion 18, said bore 52 being of enlarged diameter as at 54 near the outer end thereof forming an internal annular shoulder 55. Positioned in bore 52 is a substantially cylindrical stud56 having its root end 57 externally threaded so that it may be screwed into the correspondingly threaded portion- 58 of bore 52, and having an external annular flange 59 formed integral therewith adjacent root end 57 which may seat on shoulder 55. The stud 56 is desirably of such length that when positioned in the stem as above described, the outer end 61 thereof will lie in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of the end wall 22 of the cap, the outer wall of stud 56 and the wall of bore 21 forming an annular recess 60 in which the mouths 36 and 47 of the air passageway 35 and liquid passageway 46 are positioned. Desirably, the outer end 61 of said stud has a cavity 62 therein designed to receive a suitable locking tool such as an Allen wrench in order that the stud and the stem may be securely aflixed in the body portion 10.

As shown in Fig. 3, the outer diameter of stud 56 is so related to the diameter of the enlarged portion 54 of bore 52, between annular flange 59 and the outer end 61 of the stud as to define a second annular air passageway 65, the mouth 66 of which is substantially in the same plane as the outer surface of the end wall 22 of the cap. Air passageway 65 is desirably in communication with the air inlet 12 in the body portion by means ofan axial bore 67 in said stud in communication with axial bore 52 in said stem and with a plurality of lateral bores 68 in said stud leading from axial bore 67 into said air passageway 65.

Although the nozzle thus described may have its air inlet end 13 connected directly to a source of compressed air, as shown in Fig. 1, it is preferred to provide an air chamber or bell 71 between said air inlet end 13 and such source of compressed air. If not for this chamber, in the event that the air delivered to the nozzle should be pulsating, such as might occur if the compressor were driven by a single cylinder engine, a pulsating rather than a continuous spray would be emitted by the nozzle.

Although the air chamber 71 may be formed in any suitable manner, as shown in Fig. 1, it is desirably in the form of a T-fitting 72, one of the ports 73 of which is desirably internally threaded as at 74 to receive a plug 75. The nozzle is desirably mounted on the cap 75 by means of a substantially L-shaped fitting 76, preferably threaded at one end as at 77 into a correspondingly threaded bore 78 in plug 75. Bore 78 leads into the cavity of fitting 72 which defines the air chamber 71, the latter being supplied with air through lateral port 79 of the fitting 72 connected to a source of compressed air as by a pipe 81.

The outer end of fitting 76 is desirably connected by a union 82 to the air inlet end 13 of the nozzle. Thus, the nozzle will be retained in the position shown in Fig. 1 in which it extends obliquely outward from the plug 75.

Although the fitting 72 may be mounted on the liquid container 83 in any suitable manner, forairtight relation, it is preferably so mounted that it may be turned to direct the nozzle as desired. To this end a plug 84 may be screwed into a threaded opening 85 in the top wall of the liquid container 83. The plug 84 desirably has a circular cavity or recess 86 in the upper face thereof with an axial opening 87 through which extends a pipe 88, which is affixed to the plug as by welding. The port 91 of the fitting 72 opposed to port 73. extends into recess 86 in the plug and its rim 93 rests upon a washer 92. Desirably the plug 75 has a bore 94 through which extends pipe 88 upon the protruding upper end 95 of which is threaded nut 96 securely to retain the fitting 72 upon the plug 84, a washer 97 interposed between plug 75 and nut 96 providing an airtight seal therebetween.

To provide a passageway for liquidfrom the liquid container 83 to the nozzle, a length of tubing 98 extends through the nut 96 and the pipe 88. The inlet end 100 of said tubing is desirably exposed as for instance by bias cut of the inner end 101 of pipe 88 andv the outlet end of said tubing is affixed by means of a coupling 51 to the liquid inlet 50 of the nozzle, the pipe 88 serving as a guard for the tubing to prevent injury thereto when the fitting 72 is removed from the container 83 as in refilling.

In the nozzle embodiment of Fig. 4, the base piece 111 desirably has an axial extension 115 which may comprise a tube screwed at 113 into axial bore 112 of casing and properly positioned therein by means of a lateral flange 116 near the rear end thereof adapted to seat on rim 114 of said casing. Removably afiixed on said base piece is a hollow cap 118 which desirably has an axial bore 119 in the end 121 thereof coaxial with and of greater diameter than tubular extension 115, said bore, 119 defining a discharge mouth 122.

.The cap desirably has a frusto-conical side wall 123,

externally threaded as at 124 so that it may be screwed into the internally threaded peripheral rim 125 of base piece 111. The length of the cap is desirably so related to the length of tubular extension that its end wall 121 lies in substantially the same plane as the rim 126 of tubular extension 115.

Mounted on the base piece 111 and interposed between the cap 118 and tubular extension 115 and encompassing the latter is a conduit 128, preferably sub stantially frusto-conical in shape. The conduit 128 is desirably externally threaded as at 129 at its inner end so that it may be removably screwed into an internally threaded annular flange 131 desirably outstanding from and formed integral with base piece 1 11. The circuit 128 desirably has a cylindrical portion 132 at the outer end thereof interposed between the wall of bore 119 and the outer surface of cylindrical extension 115 to define an annular air passageway 133 and an annular liquid passageway 134 encompassed by the air passageway 133. .'Desirably the length of conduit 128 is so related t the length of the cap 118 and tubular extension 115 that between the outer and inner ends 136 and 137 of the wall-of bore 119. As a result, the mouths 138 and 139 of the air passageway 133 and the liquid passageway 134 will be positioned in recess 141, formed in front of such mouths between the wall of bore 119 and the outer surface of tubular extension 115.

As shown in Fig. 4 the opposed surfaces of the cap 118 and the conduit 128 and the surface of base piece 111 therebetween define an annular air chamber 140 interposed between the air passageway 133 and the month 142 of an air bore 143 through base piece 111, the bore being of enlarged diameter at its inlet end and threaded as at 144 to receive the corresponding threaded end of a fitting 76, the latter desirably being connected to a source of compressed air such as by means of the fitting 72 shown in Fig. 1.

To connect the nozzle to a source of liquid, the base piece 111 desirably has a bore 145 therethrough leading at its outlet end into the annular chamber 140' between conduit 128 and tubular extension 115. Although the nozzle could be connected to a source of liquid in any suitable maner, the construction shown in Fig. 1 is desirably provided and the end of a liquid feed tube 98' is connected by means of a suitable connector 51' to the bore 145.

Although the component elements of the spray nozzles shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and the length and diameter of the tubing 98 and 98' respectively may be of any suitable dimensions depending upon the volumetric rate of output desired, in a nozzle designed to provide an output of eight fluid ounces per minute of a liquid having a viscosity in the order of 3.5 centipoises at an air pressure of approximately 60 pounds per square inch, the following dimensions are typical. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive the outer air passageway 35 illustratively is an annulus having an outer diameter of .386 inch and an inner diameter of .372 inch, the liquid passageway 46 is an annulus having an outer diameter of .314 inch and an inner diameter of .286 inch and the recess 60 in which the mouths 47 and 36 of the liquid and air passageways are positioned has adepth of .125 inch. The inner air passageway 65 illustratively is an annulus having an outer diameter of .249 inch and an inner diameter of .215 inch, the inner diameter of the tubing 98 is desirably .110 inch and the tubing illustratively has a length of 30 inches.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the outer air passageway 133 illustratively is an annulus having an outer diameter of .389 inch and an inner diameter of .375 inch, the

liquid passageway 134 is an annulus having an outer diameter of .317 inch and an inner diameter of .289 inch and the recess 141 in which the mouths 138 and 139 of the liquid and air passageways are positioned has a depth of .125 inch. The air passageway formed by the bore of tubular extension 115 has a diameter of .252 inch and the inner diameter of the tubing 98 is desirably .110 inch and the length of the tubing is illustratively 30 inches.

It is of course to be understood that the above dimensions are merely illustrative, and any suitable dimensions may be used depending upon tthe volumetric rate of liquid output desired as well as the air pressure applied and the viscosity of the liquid used.

In the operation of the device, shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, as air under pressure of approximately 60 pounds per square inch is forced by a compressor (not shown) through port 79 of the fitting 72, such compressed air will fill the air chamber 71 and pass through bore 78 and fitting 76 into the air inlet end 13 of the nozzle. The compressed air will then be conducted through longitudinal bores 16 into air chamber 37 in the nozzle and through annular air passageway 35 thereof to be expelled from the mouth 36 thereof. As a result, a suction will be created in the liquid passageway 46 adjacent air passageway 35 which will draw liquid from the container 83 through tubing 98 into liquid inlet 50 and bore 49 which is in communication with liquidpassageway 46, the container 83 being vented by pipe 88. As the liquid stream is propelled by the encompassair stream, it will be finely subdivided to form a spray.

The location of the mouths of the air and liquid passageways in recess permits the velocity of the air stream to decrease gradually as it emerges from the mouth of the air passageway so that the liquid sucked into the recess can be further atomized before discharge from the nozzle. By reason of the relatively large diameter of the mouth 47 of the liquid passageway 46, even though such passageway is relatively narrow, the volumetric rate of flow of liquid therefrom will be relatively great. As the jet of mixed liquid and air emerges from the mouth 23 of the nozzle by reason of the partial vacuum created in front of the stud 56 by the rapidly moving jet, there will be a tendency for such jet to converge as shown in Fig. 3. This would normally cause the drops forming the spray to coalesce thereby enlarging such drops to produce a wet spray. However, such convergence is substantially reduced by the stream of air from the inner air passageway emerging from the mouth 66 thereof as shown in Fig. 3, which will be directed against the jet of liquid and air from the liquid passageway 46 and air passageway 35 as they start to converge, creating a violent turbulence in such jet which will further break up the drops therein and disperse such jet outwardly in avery fine spray. In the operation of the device shown in Fig. 4 as air under pressure is forced through air bore 143 and air' chamber 140, through the mouth 138 of air passageway 137, suction will be created in the liquid passageway 134. As a result liquid will be drawn from the liquid container through pipe 98', bore 145 and annular chamber 140' which is in communication with liquid passageway 134. As the liquid is propelled by the encompassing air stream, it will be broken up into relatively small drops and atomized to form a jet of spray, the recess 141 aiding in such action as previously described.

The rapid movement of the jet of liquid and air past the mouth of the air passageway in the tubular extension causes air to be sucked therethrough from the outside. As a result, no vacuum will be created in the area in front of the nozzle and hence no convergence of the jet with its attendant disadvantage will occur.

To change the direction of the nozzlesof Figs. 1 to 3 or that of Fig. 4, nut 96 is loosened and the fitting turned to desired position about pipe 88 and the nut 96 then retightened.

The invention thus affords highly efficient spray nozzles, which have but few parts and may readily be assembled for use and as readily be disassembled for cleaning. By reason of the annular air passageways and intervening annular liquid passageway, dependable atomizationof the stream of liquid into a fine spray will be efiected which may spread into relatively inaccessible places and minute crevices.

By reason of this fine spray, but little liquid is required to fill even a large area and consequently the device is highly efiicient in operation requiring but a mini-. mum amount of liquid for a given job. As the nozzles herein described have a relatively large output, but one nozzle is sufiicient to provide enough spray for even a large area and as the nozzle even with its associated fitting is relatively light, it adds but little weight to the unit to which it is attached and hence such unit may readily be transported without undue effort on the part of the operator.

In the simplified form of the nozzle shown in Fig. 5, parts corresponding to those of the nozzle shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive have the same reference numerals primed.

The nozzles shown in Fig. 5 and in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusiveare substantially identical except that the nozzle of Fig. 5 has but one annular air passageway 35' encom 7 passing the liquid passageway 46 and the stem 39' is a solid rod of slightly enlarged diameter at its inner end 110 and is externally threaded so that it may be screwed into the internally threaded end 43 of bore 11'.

In the embodiment of Fig. 5 the mouths 47' and 36 of the liquid passageway 46' and air passage 35' are shown substantially in the same plane as the outer surface of the end Wall 23' of cap 21', although it is of course to be understood that mouths 47 and 36' could be positioned in a recess similar to recess 60 shown in Fig. 3, to enhance the atomization effect previously described.

In the operation of the nozzle shown in Fig. 5, as air is forced through air inlet 13 longitudinal bore 16, air chamber 37' and the mouth 48' of the air passageway 35 it will create a suction in the liquid passageway 46' to draw liquid therethrough and atomize such liquid to dispense the mixed air and liquid as a jet of fine spray. Although there is a tendency for the annular jet to converge as it emerges from the nozzle due to the partial vacuum created in front of the solid end 112 of stem 39', such convergence may be substantially eliminated by having the air pressure from the compressor (not shown) sufiiciently high so that as the jet emerges from the nozzle it will remain substantially cylindrical to overcome the vacuum effect so that it will dispense without converging.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and method, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An atomizing nozzle comprising a body portion having a substantially tubular extension rigid therewith, said body portion having a bore extending therethrough and through said tubular extension, a cap on said body portion encompassing said tubular extension and having a bore through the end wall thereof defining an outlet opening, coaxial with said tubular extension and of larger diameter than the outer diameter of the latter to define an outer annular air passageway between the wall of the bore in said cap and the outer wall of said tubular extension, a substantially cylindrical stern in the bore in said body portion defining an annular liquid passageway between the inner wall of said tubular extension and the outer surface of said stem, the mouth of said liquid passageway being adjacent the mouth of said air passageway, and a liquid inlet and an air inlet associated respectively with said liquid passageway and said air passageway.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said stem is a pin affixed at its inner end in the inner end of thebore in said body portion.

3. An atomizing nozzle comprising a body portion having a substantially tubular extension rigid therewith, said body portion havin a bore extending therethrough and through said tubular extension, a cap on said body portion encompassing said tubular extension and having a bore through the end wail thereof defining an outlet opening, coaxial with said tubular extension and of larger diameter than the outer diameter of the latter to define an outer annular air passageway between the wall of the bore in said cap and the outer wall of said tubular extension, at substantially cylindrical stem in the bore in said body portion defining an annular liquid passageway between the inner wall of said tubular extension and the outer surface of said stem, the mouth of said liquid pasageway being adjacent the mouth of said air passag said stem having a longitudinal bore therethrough, a stud in the bore of; said stem defining an inner annular air passag ay twe n th all of the bore in said stem and the outer wall of said stud, said inner air passageway having its mouth near the mouths of said liquid passageway and said outer air passageway, and a liquid inlet and an air inlet associated respectively with said liquid passageway and said air passageway.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said liquid inlet comprises a lateral bore in said body portion leading into said liquid passageway.

5. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which the bore in said body portion is of enlarged diameter at the inlet end thereof to define said air inlet, the latter being in communication with the bore in said stem, and said body portion has bores therethrough providing communication between said outer air passageway and said air inlet and said stud has bores therein providing communication between said inner air passageway and the bore in said stem.

6. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said tubular extension extends from the end wall of said body portion and said cap is hollow and an annular air chamber is provided between the inner wall of said cap, the outer surface of said tubular extension and the end wall of said body portion, said outer air passageway being in communication with said air chamber.

7. An atomizing nozzle comprising a body portion having a bore therethrough exposed at its outer end to the ambient air, a substantially tubular extension rigid with said body portion and coaxial with said bore, a cap on said body portion, encompassing said tubular extension and having a bore through the end wall thereof defining an outlet opening, said opening being coaxial with and of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said tubular extension, an annular conduit interposed between the inner wall of said cap and the outer surface of said tubular extension and spaced therefrom defining a liquid pasageway between the tubular extension and the conduit, and an air passagewaybetween the conduit and the inner wall of the cap, and a liquid inlet and air inlet associated with said liquid passageway and said air passageway respectively.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which the outer rim of said annular conduit lies between the outer and inner end of the wall of the bore in said cap and the outer rim of said tubular extension lies in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of the end wall of said cap.

9. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which said conduit is substantially frusto-conical and has a substantially cylindrical portion at the outer end thereof, and the inner wall of said cap is substantially frustoconical, and the wall of said bore in said cap is substantially cylindrical and encompasses the cylindrical portion of said conduit. I

10. An atomizing nozzle comprising a body portion having a substantially tubular extension rigid therewith, said body portion having a bore extending therethrough and through said tubular extension, a cap of said body portion encompassing said tubular extension and having a bore through the end wall thereof defining an outlet opening, coaxial with said tubular extension and of larger diameter than the outer diameter of the latter to define an annular air passageway between the Wall of the bore in said cap and the outer wall of said tubular extension, at substantially cylindrical stem in the bore in said body portion and said tubular extension defining an annular liquid passageway between the wall of said bore and the outer surface of said stem, the mouth of said liquid passageway being adjacent the mouth of said air passage-v way, said body portion having a longitudinal bore therethrough in communication at one end with said air passageway, and a liquid inlet and an air inlet associated 9 10 respectively with said liquid passageway and the other 2,362,834 Larson Nov. 14, 1944 end of said longitudinal bore. 2,547,084 Marcuse' Apr. 3, 1951 2,595,759 Buckland et a1. May 6, 1952 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,612,405 Kirschbaum Sept. 30, 1952 5 1321358 I B i STATES PATENFIIl? 11 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS ec ov. 1,603,572 Andrew Oct. 19, 1926 904,557 France 1945 2,362,634 Houghton Nov. 14, 1944 

